WMNF to be Closed due to Hurricane Irene

I just saw an email "Special Notice" from the AMC saying the White Mountain National Forest will be closed effective 6pm Saturday Aug 27 thru midnight Mon Aug 29 due to the approaching Hurricane Irene.

The closure includes all trails, campgrounds, developed sites, huts, shelters, and ski areas.

Maybe this has happened before??? and I just didn't see it because Internet communications weren't as developed as they are today back when I was in New England? (I was there til 1998)

While I understand everyone wanting to be prepared for the worse I think there is a sense of "panic" on the east coast because lets face it...This isn't something that happens very often when compared to the gulf coast etc.